25th August 2019

In 1889 James Berriman Wilkins (1863-1937) and John James Jones (1860-1915), both late of Cahill’s tailoring, started their partnership, “The “Busy Bee”, first in High street then from 1912, Charing Cross, Bendigo.

In 1915 the partnership dissolved with Wilkins continuing as ‘J.B. Wilkins’, possibly due to health reasons, as Jones died later that year, aged 55 years. He had lived all his life, except for a short while in Echuca, in Bendigo. Wilkins was still listed as a tailor in 1936, the year before he died. He had been a native of Cornwall.

Clifford & Fulton, Bendigo:

This partnership lasted from around 1931 until 1938, at Bath Corner, Bendigo. Charleville (named after his birth place in Queensland) Clifford (1897-1955) was a draper and mercer. He was bankrupt in 1940. I cannot work out who “Fulton” was, as no draper or tailor was listed by that name in the electoral rolls.

Advocate, 12th February 1931. Charling Cross was a tram stop at the intersection of View Street and Pall Mall.